among them carrying in his hand
the bag, which was now filled.

"Shall I divide this with you?" he said.

"Yes; divide!" they sang in chorus.

So Ivan put his hand into the bag and drew it out full of gold coins,
which he scattered among them.

"Batiushka," they cried as they ran to gather up the precious pieces.

The moujiks then appeared on the scene and began to fight among
themselves for the possession of the yellow objects. In the melee one
old woman was nearly crushed to death.

Ivan laughed and was greatly amused at the sight of so many persons
quarrelling over a few pieces of gold.

"Oh! you duratchki" (little fools), he said, "why did you almost crush
the life out of the old grandmother? Be more gentle. I have plenty more,
and I will give them to you;" whereupon he began throwing about more of
the coins.

The people gathered around him, and Ivan continued throwing until he
emptied his bag. They clamored for more, but Ivan replied: "The gold
is all gone. Another time I will give you more. Now we will resume our
singing and dancing."

The little children sang, but Ivan said to them, "Your songs are no
good."

The children said, "Then show us how to sing better."

To this Ivan replied, "I will show you people who can sing better than
you." With that remark Ivan went to the barn and, securing a bundle
of straw, did as the little devil had directed him; and presently a
regiment of soldiers appeared in the village street, and he ordered them
to sing and dance.

The people were astonished and could not understand how Ivan had
produced the strangers.

The soldiers sang for some time, to the great delight of the villagers;
and when Ivan commanded them to stop they instantly ceased.

Ivan then ordered them off to the barn, telling the astonished and
mystified moujiks that they must not follow him. Reaching the barn,
he turned the soldiers again into straw and went home to sleep off the
effects of his debauch.

CHAPTER VII.

The next morning Ivan's exploits were the talk of the village, and news
of the wonderful things he had done reached the ears of his brother
Simeon, who immediately went to Ivan to learn all about it.

"Explain to me," he said; "from whence did you bring the soldiers, and
where did you take them?"

"And what do you wish to know for?" asked Ivan.

"Why, with soldiers we can do almost anything we wish--whole kingdoms
can be conquered," replied Simeon.

This information great